Barbara J. (Motichka) Penney, 76

Barbara J. (Motichka) Penney, 76, of Kalispell, passed away Thursday, April 1, 2010, at the Brendan House in Kalispell, with family at her side. She was born in Kalispell on April 10, 1933, to Joseph James Motichka and Mary Elizabeth (Feirstein) Motichka, both pioneer families of the Flathead Valley. She was the sixth of seven children. Barbara attended the Half Moon School near the family homestead and Flathead County High School. She married Jay S. Penney on Aug. 6, 1951. Together they operated the Fish and Game South Fork station during hunting season and operated the family farm on Hodgson Road, raising five children, until they retired in May 1992. They moved to Kalispell where she lived for the remainder of her life. Barbara spent the final years of her life in the loving care of family and Brendan House staff. Barbara was a devoted, loving and caring wife and mother and extremely proud grandmother. Barbara was quiet and reserved with a gentle sense of humor and infectious smile. In her youth, she was an active member of the Farmer s Union Reserve, Future Homemakers of America and 4-H. Barbara loved Sunday drives, feeding the ducks in Woodland Park, family picnics and gatherings, and fishing trips. In her spare time when she wasn t caring for her family, she enjoyed embroidery and jigsaw puzzles, playing pinochle, canasta and bingo. In the summer she enjoyed swimming at the eddy at the Whitefish River, huckleberry picking, raising and harvesting the family garden, canning fruits and vegetables for her family, and cotton candy at the Flathead County Fair. She loved smoking sockeye salmon for family and friends in the fall. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed preparing meals for the grain and tree harvest crews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jay, in April 1994; and by her parents, Joseph and Mary Motichka; two brothers, Richard and Joseph; and one sister, Mary (Betty) Fredenberg. Barbara is survived by two sisters, Roberta Elgin and Katherine Hatton, and one brother, Jim Motichka, and wife Alice, all of Kalispell. She is also survived by her children, son, Bruce, and wife, Shirley, of Beaverton, Ore.; daughter, Ardith Tillotson, and husband, Bart, of Oak Harbor, Wash.; son, Gerald, and wife, Shannon, of Columbia Falls; son, Kurt, and wife, Barbara, of Kalispell; and her son, Tom, of Columbia Falls. Barbara is also survived by seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Grandchildren include Jeremy, Jordan, Troy, Jennifer, David, Sean and Drew; and her great-grandchildren, Kiyha and Gage; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and dear friends. Funeral services for Barbara will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, at the Stillwater Lutheran Church with Pastor Tim Bartholomew officiating. Visitation will be from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 8, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home. Interment will be in Glacier Memorial Gardens. A reception for friends and family to celebrate Barbara s life will be held at the Stillwater Lutheran Church following the services. The family suggests memorials in Barbara s name be to the American Heart Association, 501 First Ave. North No. 114, Great Falls, MT 59401; or the Arthritis Foundation, Montana Branch, 1643 Lewis Ave., Suite 3, Billings, MT 59102-4151; or the charity of your choice. Johnson - Gloschat Funeral is caring for Barbara s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Barbara s tribute wall.